Wednesday, 26 October 2016

Planning application CB/16/04420/FULL is for "change of use for the retention of caravans for occupation by four Romani Gypsy families, with associated hardstanding and access. The site to contain, four static caravans, four touring caravans and associated residential parking." The consultation period for this application closes on 02 November 2016.

As might be inferred from use of the word "retention", this application is partly intended to secure
formal permission for some elements already in place in excess of existing planning permission(s).

For the sake of clarity, this application should not be confused with the separate application to create more pitches and extend the Eversholt Beeches site further into the green belt and area of outstanding natural beauty; that application will be determined on its own merits.

The Eversholt Beeches site should also not be confused with the two separate existing sites at Jockey Farm or the extensive traveller site at Greenvale; all four of these traveller sites along the Caddington stretch of the A5 are independent of each other.

Anybody who wishes to comment on this application, whether they support or oppose it, has until 02 November to submit their comments to Central Bedfordshire planning department.

Man handed injuction following series of intimidating, drunken incidents

A man has been banned from part of Dunstable town centre following a number of intimidating drunken incidents.

Magill Price, 57, of Caddington, is now subject to a one-year injunction banning him from an area which includes The Quadrant shopping centre, Dunstable Library and Asda.

This follows numerous incidences of drunken behaviour where Price threatened, abused and terrified staff even though he had already been banned from a number of stores there.

Price was ordered to attend Luton County Court on 10 October where Central Bedfordshire Council, supported by Bedfordshire Police, successfully applied for the injunction.

It took effect for a year from that date and if Price enters the area from which he is banned then he will be taken back to county court and face further action. If he continues to breach the order he risks a custodial sentence.

Councillor Brian Spurr, Executive Member for Community Services, said: “This is an excellent example of partnership working and shows that by working together we can achieve an effective result in dealing with antisocial behaviour which we are determined to tackle head on.

“I would like to thank shop staff and library staff for being supportive and giving our antisocial behaviour officers the evidence we needed to progress this case.”

Anyone who is aware of Price breaching the injunction should call the council’s antisocial behaviour and statutory nuisance team on 0300 300 8302.

Wednesday, 5 October 2016

It is interesting to note that the grandiosely titled "Luton & Central Beds Economic Development Partnership" have finally got around to filing their Sep-15 accounts at Companies House (originally due 30-Jun-16, finally submitted 30-Sep-16).

Recent activity includes changing the company name, changing it again and then changing it once more back to what it was at the beginning. Productive endeavours indeed.

What is interesting reading is the value of stock (or work-in-progress) on the balance sheet at over a million pounds; the accounting rationale here is that costs incurred thus far in exploring, developing and promoting the site are not so much 'spent' as 'invested' against a future sale at a profit. The associated accounting policies also include the telling phrase "provision is made for any foreseeable losses where appropriate"; this is fairly normal accounting practise but underlines the point that if the sole remaining director accepted that Bushwood was a dead duck, then he wouldn't still be representing over a million pounds in spend as an investment that will be sold on at a profit in future. Implicitly, he stands by that declaration not just at 30 September 2015 which the accounts reflect but also at 19 September 2016 when the accounts were legally signed. I shall leave it to you to decide whether Mr Boyle knows something we don't or is simply delusional.

The Bushwood proposals were inappropriate and unsustainable when first introduced and they remain inappropriate and unsustainable now.

The more eagle-eyed may also notice that the valuation of stock has risen by only £6,450 during the year from Oct-14 to Sep-15, and the deficit on reserves rose by a meagre £721 in the same period. Those that suspect this company is no longer the primary vehicle for Bushwood (although they stand by their £1M+ stock valuation) might wish to keep an eye on Abbey Land Developments Ltd [08853726], due to file their 31-Jan-16 accounts no later than the end of this month.

We will have to wait a while for the 2016/17 results to be made public but they will also be fun reading. Common consensus is that Peter Village QC, currently arguing to convince an inspector of the merits of tacking the Bushwood proposals onto Luton's local plan, does not come cheap.

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